George



V G. O. DOUGHBRTY. GOMBINED MATTRESS AND BED PAN-71.,

(No Model.) 7

No. 522,292. Patented July 3, 1894.

UNITED ST T -s PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE O. DOUGHERTY, OF ONEIDA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK. W. DIMMITT AND F. S. STEPHENSON, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINEDIMATTRESS AND BED-PAN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 522,292, dated uly'3, 1894.

A Application filed February 0.18%. Serial no.42o,9e1. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it-mcty concern:

of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Mattress and Bed-Pan, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined mattress and bed-pan, and the improvements consist in novel structural features'and combinations of parts, which structural features and the operation of which parts separately and in combination Will be found hereinafter fully described and will be specified in the claims hereto appended.

A mattress and bed-pan embodying the constructive forms of and showing the mu-' tual relationship and combination of the parts forming the subject matter of my improvement are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan of part of a mattress with my improved bed-pan located in a seat therein; Fig. 2, a perspective of the part of a mattress shown at Fig. 4, and of the bedpan seated therein; Fig. 3, a top-plan of part of the mattress with the bed-pan removed, and the removable sections of the mattress in place; Fig. 4, a central sectional elevation of the bed pan, and of part of a mattress in line 4:, 4, in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a perspective of part of a mattress with the bed-pan seated therein; Fig. 6,a top plan of a mattress, with a re movable section seated therein, and which is a modification of my improvement to the extent of certain similar functions.

The material of which the mattress is formed, its general outline or form, its size, and whether made in one or in multiple parts, in so far as its general form is concerned, are discretionary, as my improvement is applicable to mattresses of any ordinary form or construction.

Extending from one side of the mattress A inwardly thereof is a recess or slot at, which extends through the mattress vertically, and is at its inner end (1/ preferably semicircular in form to correspond with and fit closely to a bed pan B, hereinafter described, and which has a body part, preferably cylindrical in form. While in ordinary use the recess a is closed by a section o'of mattress, which is cylindrical in formto fit thesemi-cylindrical end of the recess a, and a section 0 which has a concavity c that fits closely to the side of the section c','as shown at Fig. 3, and which fits closely to the straight sides of the slot a. The sections 0, c, are of substantially the same'thickness or depth through as the mattress, so that they will rest uponthesupport upon which the mattress rests, and are held therein, especially when handling the mattress, by a strap D fixed to the section a and buttoned or otherwise releasably fixed to the section a and the mattress, as shown at same figure, but any other or preferred readily releasable securing device may be usedif desired or preferred. f

The sections a, 0', when the strap D is released from the mattress can be quickly and easily removed from the mattress by withdrawing them endwise therefrom in a horizontal direction, as shown by dotted lines at Fig. 3, and without raising them or either of them so as to bring their upper surfaces above the plane of the upper surface of the mattress, and bya reverse operation the sections may be reseated in the mattress; and both of these operations, that is, the withdrawal of the sections 0, c','fr'om the mattress and their reinsertion or reseating therein can be accomplished witha minimum of disturbance to an invalid lying on the mattress, and even whenlying over the slot a.

The bed-pan B comprises in its construction a cylindrical body portion b which is preferably of less depth or vertical height than the thickness of the mattress, fora purpose hereinafter described. An annular flange b projectsoutwardly and slightly upwardly from the upper end of the cylindrical portion 12. The flange b has a part b which is of uniform width half the circumference, or approximately so, of the cylindrical part b,

and its other part or portion 1) is extended same part and obliquely across it, and extends upwardly and forwardly, as shown in the drawings. The body part b is provided With an ordinary lid b and with a bail b which is hinged to cars Z), and lies when in use in the mattress out of the way, upon the segmental part b. The bail may be otherwise hinged to the bed-pan if preferred. The

' bed-pan is preferably formed of sheet tin or of some suitable thin sheet metal but may be formed of any suitable material.

In using the bed-pan with the mattress hereinbefore shown and described, the sections 0, 0, being first removed, the bed pan, without the lid or cover can thenbe placed in its seat in the mattress by sliding it horizontally with its part b in the recess or slot at, until it reaches and rests against the semicircular end of said recess, when the section 0 can be inserted in its seat, as shown at Fig. 1, to partially hold it in place, but more especially for the purpose of a part rest or support at the recess a for the person using the bed-pan. The bedpan will be supported by its flange or brim b resting upon the adjacent upper surfaces of the mattress and section 0, into which surfaces it should be pressed while inserting it, and where it will be held by the weight of the hip portion of the body of the person resting on the parts b b, so as to produce a comparatively high degree of comfort to such person using it, for the ordinary purposes.

The bed-pan placed as in use, with the parts b 6 of the brim toward the head of the person using it, the segmental part or portion b will serve as a guard against which water or other discharges will strike that might otherwise pass over and beyond the bed-pan, and will deflect such discharges and direct them backwardly on to the flange b which will conduct and discharge them into the part or receiver b. The removal of the bed-pan is by a reverse operation from that described for placing it, and both in placing it and in removin g it, as in placing and removing the sections 0, c, the person or invalid for whose use such operations are performed will be disturbed but little, and need be moved but slightly if any at all, the incalculable advantages of which in the case of invalids need not be herein described.

At Fig. 6 a circular aperture or hole E in the mattress is shown as a receptacle for the bed-pan B. The cylindrical part b of the bedpan fits the apertn re E and is inserted therein in such manner that the flange b rests upon and presses itself into that portion of the upper surface of the mattress beneath said flange and surrounding the aperture E. The bed-pan is seated by lowering it into the aperture E, and is removed therefrom by raising it out of said aperture by means of its handle. When seated inthe aperture E the functions of the bed-pan are the same as when seated in the recess or slot (1. A cylindrical section e of mattress fits into and closes the aperture E, and is held therein, especially when handling the mattress, by a strap e fixed at one end to the section e and buttoned or otherwise separably fixed at its other end to the mattress.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination with a mattress having an opening therein, of a bed pan formed with a containing section shaped to fit the opening, a forwardly and upwardly extending flange on the upper edge of the section and adapted to rest on the upper face of the mattress, and a rearwardly inclined flange on the opposite edge of the containing section, having a hood, substantially as described.

2. The combination with amattress having an opening therein, of a bed pan formed with a containing portion of a length less than the thickness of the mattress and fitted in the opening, flanges inclining upwardly from the section and resting on the mattress, and a fixed hood, substantially as described.

I In testimony whereof I aifix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE O. DOUGHERTY.

Witnesses:

'l. A. WETMORE, JOSEPH M. Ron. 

